Matthew Thraxton GFX 2014 Interview

Matthew Thraxton GFX 2014 Interview

 

Matt is a Les Mill International Master Trainer and DVD Presenter. Originally from England, Matt has over 10 years’ experience with Les Mills delivering instructor training modules, workshops and master classes in more than 15 countries. Now living in Melbourne and representing Les Mills Asia Pacific, Matt teaches BODYPUMP, RPM, CXWORX, BODY COMBAT and Les Mills GRIT STRENGTH.

1.         Describe GFX in three words

Crazy Inspirational and Family

2.         What has been some of the highlights of GFX 2014?

Presenting the BODYPUMP and RPM quarterly workshops. I love getting to work with Emma Barry; she has been one of my idols since I started Pump back in 2002. We don’t get too many chances to present together so when the opportunity arises it’s always special. Plus I got to pump it up with my good friend Will Pritchard, who you will see on the BODYPUMP 90 DVD. He did an amazing job. Then for RPM, it is always an honour and a privilege to ride next to the Lee Smith. Apart from that, getting to catch up with old friends and make new ones is a huge part of what these events are all about. We really are one big extended family and when all four corners of the world get together in one spot to share out love for fitness, it’s magic!

3.         What’s the one thing you can’t live without?

Hmmm (insert cheeky grin!!)……I will say Coffee!! Yep definitely coffee. 

4.         Are you addicted to your smart phone?

Yes!! And I hate the fact that I am (laughs). Everyone these days seem to be constantly glued to his or her phone, head down, bent neck and rounded back. It seems like good posture is fast becoming a thing of the past.

5.         What do you see as of the world’s biggest problems today and how would you go about solving it?

I see sugar, junk food and sedentary lifestyles as a major world-wide problem. It’s really worrying that despite all the education available regarding healthy eating and exercise, our obesity crises and lifestyle related disease continues to escalate. It’s really important that we keep working on this. One of the keys is early invention and education at a school level. I believe that daily exercise should be compulsory on the school curriculum. I love the idea of it being group fitness too because then we can cater too all levels of fitness and ability in children. Everyone wins. I’m not saying we should take out sport days or competition, we need that; but we also need to provide for the kids who aren’t interested in sport, or do not have the confidence or ability to take part. We should be reaching through the schools and setting these kids up for a life with good health habits from an early age.

6.         How have you found your transition to living in Melbourne, Australia?

It was very hard to leave my friends and family here in Auckland. I was here for four and a half years and had built a great life with made some amazing friends. It really was like leaving home all over again. Professionally it was a bit of a shock when I first started teaching in Melbourne clubs. I went from teaching 180 people on my last pump class in Auckland to 12 on my first day in Melbourne. That was certainly a group fitness culture shift. It was like going full circle back to when I started. Teaching at small clubs where it is all about building a community and really teaching from a grass roots level. The great thing about that is watching your participants improve and seeing your class numbers grow. There is something very special about taking a small group of leisurely gym goers and nurturing them, training them and coaching them into a room full of athletes!

7.         What’s in store for 2014?

I have a few exciting little projects in the pipeline for 2014 around coaching, mentoring and consulting within the fitness industry. I am working with LMAP on some projects to help us improve the level of instructing in Australia. It is the year of the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, and the World Cup in Brazil, and I turn 40!

8.         What’s something that people might be surprised to know?

I have many leather bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany.

Oh, and my middle name is…. IVOR!

9.         What’s your message to those considering coming to GFX but haven’t done so yet?

Absolutely come!!!! Get re-inspired. Meet up with old friends and meet some fantastic new people. It’s a unique experience, where regular studio classes combine with quarterly workshop classes as well as rehearsal classes and they all go head to head with filming classes! You get to see so many amazing styles of teaching. How Instructors/Presenters may teach in a workshop is different to how they would in a filming class and different again to a regular class. It’s a fantastic experience, a real celebration of group fitness and I hope to see even more Aussies at the next one!!

10.       And a final message for the Aussie Les Mills instructors reading LM Australia Rockin’ AKL?

I’m in a place where I just so grateful for my position and having so many wonderful people in my life. I get to meet so many people including instructors that inspire me. It’s all about the ripple effect. For example you teach 20 people and you inspire them. They then go out to inspire another 20 and so on. Or they go home really happy and you are creating change and the world is a better place. You have the ability to change the world and that’s the most amazing part of our job as instructors. I would say keeping supporting Les Mills, keep up the passion and make every teaching an experience a celebration of what we do.